The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has reaffirmed the corps’ unwavering commitment to combating oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and economic sabotage in the petroleum sector.
In a statement issued by CSC Afolabi Babawale, the National Public Relations Officer at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja, Dr. Audi emphasized his determination to intensify the fight against illegal activities in the oil-rich regions.
His remarks followed an operational tour of the Niger Delta, where he aimed to boost the morale of NSCDC operatives, inspect key oil installations, and oversee anti-vandal operations along the waterways.
During the visit, Dr. Audi condemned the situation in Odagwa, a community in Etche, Rivers State, where the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad had previously disrupted illegal pipeline vandalism. He stressed that the corps is committed to identifying and prosecuting those behind these unlawful activities in accordance with national laws.
According to him, the squad, led by Commandant AS Dandaura, has achieved significant progress in curbing crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, dismantling over 65 illegal oil dumps and refineries in recent months.
“While inspecting oil installations and facilities in the Niger Delta, our operatives swiftly responded to an intelligence report about an organized illegal refining operation in the creeks of Odagwa community, Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State,” the statement read.
Upon arrival, the Special Intelligence Squad discovered that vandals had accessed the main oil trunk line through the creeks, connected unauthorized pipes, and diverted crude oil into reservoirs. The stolen crude was then processed, packaged in cellophane bags and kegs, and prepared for distribution.